Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



ELSON & SCHAEFE.

Breech Loading Fire Arm.

Patented Feb. 2, 1869.

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CHUSETTS.

Letters Patent No. 86,37 8, dated Febmtwy 2, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING- FIRE-ARMS.

The schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

Be it known that we, JULIUS ELSON and WILLIAM R. SCHAEFER, of Boston,inthe county of Suflblk, and State of Massachusetts, have inveuteda newand useful Improvement in Breech-Loading Fire-Arms, of

' which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, referencebeing bad to the accompanying drawings, making apart of thisspecification, in which-- Figure 1 represents a view of the mechanismwith the lock-plate removed, and in position for dischargmg.

Figure 2 is a view of the same, showing a change of the parts, at nearlyhalf cock.

Figure S represents the lock-plate and lock, with the operating-springand spur.

Figure 4 is a detail view of the operating-spring and spur.

The object of our invention is to produce a simple and effectivebreech-loading fire-arm, to be operated chiefly by levers, and so thatit can be very rapidly discharged; and

The invention consists of a peculiarly-formed nut, provided with alever, having an aperture, in which a spur, forming a part of a spring,plays, the said spur being so arranged as to operate the levers whichmove the breech-block and extractor.

The invention also consists in a peculiar construction and arrangementof levers and slides, by which great compactness, and ease,and-precision of operation'are attained.

Referring, to the drawings-- a represents the lock-plate, to which areattached the nut b, the dog or sere g, and the spring f, all arrangedand operating in connection with the hammer h, as in a common gun-lock.

The nut b is constructed with an elongation, e,forn1- ing a lever, andextending forward.

Between the lock-plate and the nut bis placed a spring, provided with aspur or projection, as shown in fig. 4, which spur passes through anaperture in the elongation c.

A represents the housing, containing all the operatlug-parts.

'l is the breech-block, in which is arranged a coiled spring, l,properlysecured at the top and bottom.

The breech-block is held in a closed position by means of a slide, it,which is pressed forward by a spring,

On the slide It is a projection, by which it is pressed back by thelever It.

The lever It has a projection, It, which is operated by the spur lpressing it backward against the projection on the slide It, thusliberating the breech-block,

and allowing it to descend. v

n is a lever, of the form shown, which isv also oper-' ated by the spurl, for the purpose of moving the extractor.

as the lever O, of nut b, descends.

While the piece is discharging, the lever 'n presses against aprojection on the rear of the slide '11, which latter extends forwardthrough the breech-block, and is provided with a stud or pin, 1).

Upon the pin 11 is fitted a curved lever, q, having a projection, 1',which presses against the lever s, for the purpose of giving the firstimpulse to the said lever in operating the extractor.

The levers, which acts directly on the extractorslide, is provided withan enlarged opening, fitting overthe pin 1), so to continue the movementbegun by the projection 0', of lever q, to its full extent.

t is a slide, carrying the extractor t, properly adapted to engage withthe rim of the cartridge, and is retracted and held in position by acoiled spring, 4:, as shown.

11 u is a slide, placed under and operated by the lever s, and has aprojection at each end, and serves the purpose of temporarily checkingthe upward movement of the breech-block at the moment of extracting thecartridge.

The operation is as follows When the gun is to be loaded, the hammer isset at half cock, in doing which the spur l is made to move the lever k,which in turn draws back the bolt It, thus liberating the breech-blocki, the breech-block being drawn down by the spring 1, and thus .openingthe breech.

The spur I then acts on the lever 11, which presses against theprojection of the slide 1, moving the same backward, and carrying withit the lever q, the projection, r, of which presses against the lover s,and gives the first impulse to the movement of the extractor.

The movement of the lever s is then continued by the action 'of the pin1), so as to operate the extractor.

Toward the latter part of the movement of the lever s, the slideu ismoved so as to engage with a projecting edge of the breech-block, andcheck its upward movement, in order to prevent it from coming in contactwith the retractor-slide or the cartridge-shell, all as shown in fig. 2.

The spur I having passed over the end of the lever n, the latter is setfree, which allows the extractor and all its connections to return totheir original positions. The cartridge is then inserted, and the hammeris set at full cock, in doing which, the end of the lever 0 movesagainstthe projection y, on the breech-block, carrying the Iatter up toits full extent, when the slide It is pressed forward into a recess inthe breech- .block, and holds the latter firmly in position.

As the hammer falls, in discharging the gun, the spur I being bevelledon its end, and united to the spring I, is enabled to pass freely overthe levers n and k, to its first position.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- i 1.The nut I), provided with the lever c, in combination with the spring I,and its projecting spur l, as and for the purpose set forth.

-. q. provided with the projection r, and the lever s, as Witnesses:

2. The bolt k, in combination with the lever k and V In testimonywhereof,- we have signed our names to the spur Z, as and for the purposedescribed, this specification,.in the presence of two subscribing 3. Thelever n, constructed as described, in combiwitnesses. nation with theslide 12, and operated by the spur I, as set forth.

4. The combination of the slide 1), the curved lever JULIUS ELSON. WM.R. SOHAEFEE.

specified. J. H. ADAMS,

5. The slide u, in combination with the lever s and S. G. WILDE. thebreech-blocki, as and for the purpose specified.

